St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-20
WHISPERS.

Talking recently with Assistant Sec
| rotary THOMPSON, of the treasury, the
| WhiSperer was given an inlling of the
fact that the bed of high public official
| is indeed not one of roses. When any
| important financial movement is under
discussion the secretary of the treasury
and his assistants are fairly bounded
for information. ''There is, let me tell
| YOU" said Secretary THOMPSON, zen
| tirely too much 'one man power about
| the position of secretary. | don't care
! how good, how conscientious or honest
the man holding the position may be,
| he has entirely too much power cen
tered in him for the good of the people
| and democratic government. Not that
he need be dishonest to bring about
| lamentable state of things. A single
false step made quite within the powers
| delegated to him by law and with the
| best of intentions might raise storm
of confusion that would do incalculable
damage. 1t is too great responsibility to
burden a man with. And if it should
happen-a thing quite conceiyable-that
the office is occupied at any time in the
future by dishonest or incompetent
man, Just think of the havoc that might
be occasioned. Why, during the Sep
TENDER furry in Wall street, when | was
temporarily in charge, l could have
fairly lined my pockets, and that, too,
without infractiOn of the law, while
there were men who would have given
small fortunes to have known day
ahead what we intended doing. The
system is wrong and should be changed"
Secretary THOMPSON is a white-haired
gentleman, smooth and ruddy of cOun
tenance, with manner which makes a
friend of every one with whom he comes
in contact. He was one of the most
popular governors South Carolina ever
had, and has transferred his popularity
to Washington. He is a Southern gen
tleman of the old school, and the soul
of honor and integrity.
But aren't there lots Of men in the
country who would have profited by it
if they had held his position?
After chatting thus pleasantly Gov
THOMPSON turned to a gentleman who
had came in to call on him. He was a
man tall in stature, robust i'll figure,
with grey hair and side-whiskers Orna-
menting his well-shaped head and hand
some face. One leg was gone, and
he needed no formal introduction to
make known the fact that it was Sena-
tor WADE HAMPTON, with whom time
has dealt indeed kindly. His visit was
not purely social one. He had
friend--a good Democrat of course-and
this friend wanted a government posi-
ton. He had come to consult with his old
time friend, Gov. THOMPSON, about the
matter. The lists of vacancies were
scanned at once. A position was dis
covered which did not come within the
civil service rules. Word was sent to
the appointment clerk and Senator
HANPTON'S friend was entitled to draw
col nr oil Nv
as one could say it, all on the score of
personal friendship of course; but the
secretary had the senator's word for it
that the government was gaining an
efficient employe, and WADE HAMP-
TONS word is as good as his bond.
But, as many office seekers know to
their sorrow, it isn't often that easy.
Traffic Manager WICKEs, of the Chi
cagO ~ Northwestern, came up to st.
Paul the other day to attend an auction
sale of lots. He bought one or two, and
is convinced that Chicago offers no bet
ter field for real estate investment than
choice pieces of st. Paul realty. In
conversation, the subject of young Bob
LINCOLN's chances for the Republican
nomination for the presidency came up.
Il think people will be surprised at the
strength LINCOLN will develop" said
Mr.. WICKEs. ''He is a man whose name
is not his only merit, but his personal
qualities are also excellent, and his abil-
ity Is of no mean order. He is very
much thought of by all who know him,
and if he goes into the convention as a
dark horse he will finish mighty near
the front, if he doesn't come out ahead.
We know Bob LINCOLN well i'll Chicago,
and we like him."
But that was before the New York
election knocked the plankS out Of the
son-of-his-father platform.
AprOpos of politics Gov. l.. K.
CHURCH, who was in the city Thursday
on his way home from New York, was
telling me something about the recent
elections in that city. NICOLL, the de-
feated candidate for district attorney,
he says, has lost the opportunity of his
life. He had made position which
had brought him large personal fol-
lowing and which would naturally have
forced attention from the party man
ayers. But he did not submit to their
decision that he must wait for prefer
ment, and that sealed his fate.
"When a man kicks against the party
organization in New York. said the
his hat" In New York, organization
means everything, and NICoLL is now
a marked man. AS rebel, he will not
again be treated with confidence by the
party he deserted because of personal
ambition. Had he waited, he would
have been given the prize he
sought in time, and might even have
gone to greater heights. The Repub-
licans in New York are ready to take
NICoLL up again, but they realize their
own weakness, both DOGGERT, the
Brooklyn boss, and JAKE HESS, the
New York boss, having in my presence
in the Hoffman house, the night of
election, agreed i'll the statement that
''the jig was up"
Perhaps NICOIL will get some cOnso-
lation by fiOcking with TEDDY ROosE-
WELT, also a "a great defeated"
Even though the interstate commerce
law has sadly decimated the noble army
of deadheadS, there are yet those who re-
ceive the priced piece of pastebOard ell
titling them to free transportation. One
of these is a st. Paul gentleman who re-
Gently took the night train for Chicago.
After the train was well under way the
conductor, in due course, came around.
He took the st. Paul mans pass, looked
at it for moment, and then curiOusly
asked, ''Where is your wife?" AT
home, to the best of my knowledge and
belief" said the surprised st. Paulite.
''Then you can't ride on that" deci-
sively remarked the conductor, handing
him back the pass, which read, Pass
Mrs. A-on all lines" etc. sob, but
can," retorted Mr.. A. Il would like to
know how" said the conductor; this
calls for your wife, not for you" 'Eas-
lily enough" answered Mr.. A; ''are
not my wife and l one, and that being
N
jointly?'' The question was too much
for the knight of the punch, and Mr..
A rode to Chicago unmOlested.
Rnt that conductor must have hppn q